The Mechanism of Hydrogen Formation in the Radiolysis of

By Sam Z. Toma and. William H. Hamill. Received October 11, 1963. The 7-radiolyses of liquid alkanes with and without added iodine and methyl iodide o...
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SAM2. TOMA AND WILLIAM H. HAMILL

1478 [CONTRIBUTION FROM

THE

Vol. 86

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY AND THE RADIATION LABORATORY, UNIVERSITY OF NOTREDAME,NOTREDAME, ISD.]

The Mechanism of Hydrogen Formation in the Radiolysis of Cyclohexane and Other Hydrocarbons1 BY SAM2. TOMA AND WILLIAM H . HAMILL RECEIVED OCTOBER11, 1963 The y-radiolyses of liquid alkanes with and without added iodine and methyl iodide or olefins have been investigated. The systems and yields were: G(Hz), G(CHd), and G(H1) in cyclopentane, n-hexane, 3-methylpentane, and 2,4-dimethylpentane, each containing 2 X M iodine and up t o 0.8 M m e t h y l iodide; G(c. CsHs) and G(c-C6H91) in cyclopentane-methyl iodine; G(c-C~HIO). G(c-CGH111), and G( C I Z H ~in~ cyclohexane) methyl iodide-iodine; G(Hz), C( H D ) , and G( Dz) for 1% cyclohexene-dloin cyclohexane and 1.5% cyclohexene-dlo in cyclopentane. Ultraviolet absorption of products was measured in vacuo for cyclohexane, cyclopentane, n-hexane, 0.05 M cyclohexene in cyclohexane, and 0.05 M cyclopentene in n-hexane a t 20°, and for 0.1 M cyclohexene and 0.1 M cyclopentene ih 3-methylpentane glass a t - 196". The results are interpreted in terms of electron attachment and charge transfer as well as free-radical reactions. A yield of 0.5 molecule/100 e.v. or greater has been found in cyclohexane for a n organic product not previously reported.

Introduction

Experimental

I t has been commonly assumed that the yields of hydrogen from radiolysis of liquid saturated hydrocarbons can be accounted for by two types of process. The H atom component has been identified with the apparent limiting decrease in G(H,) caused by certain additives, including iodine, several halides, and various unsaturates. The mechanism responsible for the observed effect has often been assumed to be simple scavenging of H atoms, with little or no supporting chemical evidence. The molecular hydrogen component has been established by complementarity. 2 - 5 I t is unfortunately true that free radical scavengers can usually interfere in ionic processes by electron attachment, protonation, or simple positive charge exchange. In order to avoid complications, Jenkinson and Dyne used mixtures of cyclohexane-d12 with several hydrocarbons.6 The extrapolated G(D2) from dilute solutions was always much less than G(HD) and in C6H12C6D12systems iodine and benzene depressed both yields nearly proportionately. These facts do not fit the usual views of atomic and molecular yields of hydrogen. Radiolysis of liquid cyclohexane has been studied extensively, but only Dyne and Stone' have reported a material balance, their achievement consisting of finding a larger G(CeHlo) than other investigators had reported.8 Recent workg indicates that one or more organic products in significant yield have never been detected in the radiolysis of pure cyclohexane since post-irradiative addition of iodine produces G(H1) 5 0.4. These facts and recent advances in detecting ionic processes have induced us to re-examine the radiolysis of cyclohexane and to include examination of other hydrocarbons for comparison.

Only procedures differing from those reported previously3 are described here. Materials.-Saturated hydrocarbons were purified by one of the following methods: ( i ) Phillips pure grade reagents were scrubbed with sulfuric acid (97%) and passed through silica gel. (ii) Fisher spectrograde reagents were passed through a 5-ft. column (20 mm. i.d.) of silica gel and the first 200 ml. retained. (iii) Matheson Coleman and Bell spectral grade reagents were passed through silica gel. (iv) Matheson Coleman and Bell spectral grade reagents were treated with bromine and passed through silica gel. ( v ) Phillips research grade reagents were used as received. Baker analyzed reagent grade methyl iodide was purified by distilling through a 60-cm. column packed with glass helices; the middle third fraction was retained. After distillation it was passed through a column packed with silica gel and stored over copper wire in the dark. Cyclohexyl and cyclopentyl iodides from K and K Laboratories were used as received. K and K Laboratories research grade cyclohexene was passed through a column packed with aluminum oxide ( t o p ) and silica gel (bottom). The purity was checked by v.p.c. Eastman White Label grade cyclohexene was passed through silica gel column. Matheson Coleman and Bell cyclopentene was distilled from sodium mirror and passed through silica gel. Rascher and Betzold C.P. grade resublimed iodine was used as received. Distilled water was passed through an ion exchange column. After brief boiling the water had a pH of 7. Sample Preparation.-Samples of 20 ml. were used. When iodine was added, 0.5y0 of water was always included t o prevent loss of hydrogen iodide by reaction with intermediates or products. The degassing procedure was identical with that for gas collection described below. The y-radiation source has been described elsewhere.1° Ultraviolet Absorption.-Spectra of ?-irradiated samples (without exposure to air) were measured in a rectangular cell of fused silica using a Cary Model 14 spectrophotometer. The silica cell was connected through a graded seal with the Pyrex cell which was exposed to y-radiation. Product Analysis.-The measurement of hydrogen iodide in the radiolysis of saturated hydrocarbons containing dissolved iodine was performed with particular care. The procedureSwas standardized to minimize random errors and to yield reliable measurements for the several micromoles of acid formed in the radiolysis of systems of interest. COZwas eliminated by boiling before all titrations. The over-all reproducibility was better than 1%. The microstill used for gas collection has been modified slightly. The condenser temperature was controlled by air passed through a cooled copper coil. Three pumping cycles at most were necessary to remove gases, which were analyzed by mass spectrometry. Analyses for all runs with one hydrocarbon were performed consecutively on the same day. Hydrogen and methane standards were used before and after each series. When DZand H D were

( 1 ) This article is based on a thesis submitted by Sam Z. Toma in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the P h . D . degree in the University of Kotre Dame, June, 1963. The work was supported in part by the Radiation Laboratory of the C'niversity of Notre Dame, operated under contract with the United States Atomic Energy Commission. ( 2 ) T J . Hardwick. J. Phys. Chem., 66, 101 (1961). (3) I, J Forrestal and W H Hamill, J Am. Chem. SOC.,83, 1535 (1961). (1) J. R . Xash and W . H Hamill, J . Phys. Chem., 66, 1097 (1962). ( 5 ) R . H . Schuler, i b i d . , 61, 1472 (1957) ( 6 ) W . M Jenkinson and P J 1)yne. Can. J . Chem., 38, 539 (1960); 99, 2169 (1861) ( 7 ) J . A . Stone and P J . Dyne, i b i d . . 39, 2381 (1961). (8) They reported G(H2) = 5 . 5 , G(C;Hm) 3.27, G(C12Hm) 1.95, G(cyclohexy1hexene-1) = 0.27 (9) J . R . Roberts and W H. Hamill. J . Phys. Chem., 67, 2446 (1963).

--

-

(10) C . J Hochandcl, J A Ghormley, and M Burton, Nucleonics, 13, 74 ( 1 955).

HYDROGEN FORMATION IN RADIOLYSIS OF CYCLOHEXANE

April 20, 1964

1479

present, H2 and Dz staqdards were run before and after each analysis and H D sensitivity was taken as mean of the two.

Results Systems consisting of alkane with methyl iodide and dilute iodine are described in Tables I-III.11,12The results are qualitativefy very similar for corresponding products. There are three striking regularities. Yields of hydrogen are nearly the same for all hydroTABLE I RADIOLYSIS O F ALKANE-METHYL IODIDE-IODINEa C H ~mole/l. ,

0 0,081 .32 .81

0 0.081 .32

.81

G(Hd

G(CHd

%-Hexane 0.09 .33

G(CH4

+ HI)

2.24 1.78 1,70 1.53

2.33 2.11 2.20 2.11

3-Methylpentane 2.00 0.15 .35 1.92 .54 1,76 .64 1.71

2.15 2.27 2.30 2.35

2 , 90b 2.21 1.69 1.36 2.44' 1.70 1.39 1.13

G(HI)

.50 59

WAVELENGTH, m p .

2,4-Dimethylpentane 0.26 2.21 2.47 2.37d 0 .49 2.15 2.64 1.65 0.081 .60 1.92 2.52 1.30 .32 .68 1.81 2.49 0.99 .81 Dose = 2.9 X loz2e.v./l. All solutions contain 0.02 M 12. Reported yields of Hz for pure n-hexane are 5.1 (5.0 X loz2 e.v./l.)," 5.0 (1.7 X loz3e.v./l.),lzand 5.3 mo1./100 e.v. (1.5 X 1021 e.v./l.).P In pure 3-methylpentane hydrogen yields of 3.4 (1.7 X loz3e.v./1.)12 and 4.56 mo1./100 e.v. (1.5 X loa1 e.v./l.)a have been reported. I n this work G(H2) was 3.90 for pure hydrocarbon. For pure 2,4-dimethylpentane hydrogen yields of 4.9 (1.7 X loz3e.v./l.)12and 4.19 (1.5 X loz1e.v./l.)Z have been reported.

TABLE I1 OF CYCLOPENTANE~-METHYL IODIDE-IODINE~ RADIOLYSIS CH~I, mole/l.

G(Hn)

G(CH4)

G(HI)

G(CrHa) G(CsHo1)

G(CH4 HI)'

+

5 25 2.92 0 3.74 0.01 2.19 1.64 2.96 2.20 .28 1.84 1.23 2.23 2.12 0.081 2.50 .32 1.83 .45 1.82 1.07 1.85 2.27 .81 1.65 .59 1.68 0.93 1.60 2.27 a Phillips research grade cyclopentane was used for runs in which G(C6Hg) and G(C5HgI) alone were measured. For all Solutions others, cyclopentane was purified by method ( i ) . contain 0.02 M I t except for the first run. Dose was 8.3 X loP2 e.v./l. for G(C6Hg) in pure cyclopentane, 1.1 X loP3e.v./l. for separate runs in which only G(C6Hg)and G(C6HgI) were measured, The yield of "thermal H and 2.2 X loz2 e.v./l. for all others. atoms" has been reported2 as 3.06/100 e.v. 0

TABLE I11 OF CYCLOHEXANE~-METHYL IODIDE-IODINE RADIOLYSIS"

CH~I, rnole/l.

G(HdC

G(CsHin)

G(C1zHzz)

G(CaHii1)

1.61 5.44 2.69 0.31 3.92 3.47 1.51 2.60 1.01 .21 2.82 2.05 0.85 ,14 2.37 .81 1.40 0.71 .08 1.97 a Dose was 3.1 X 1022 e.v./l. for the first run and 5 X 102' e.v./l. for J1 others. Except for the first run, solutions contain Cyclohexane was purified by method 6 X 10-3 mole/l. of 1 2 . Interpolated from Forrestal's measurements normalized (ii). to give G(H2) = 5.44 for pure cyclohexane (cf. ref. 3 ) .

0 0 0.081 .32

(11) J . Denhartog and P J Dyne, C Q X J Chem , 4 0 , 1616 (1962) (12) H A Dewhurst, J Phys Chem , 62. 15 (1958), J A m Chem. S a c , 60, 0607 (1958)

Fig. 1.-Ultraviolet absorption spectrum: , observed of cyclohexane after a dose of 9 X 1021e.v./l.; - - -, calculated spectrum of cyclohexene due to a dose of 9 X 1021e.v./l. in cyclohexane using V.P.C. analysis and previously determined extinction coefficients; -- - - -, observed spectrum of cyclohexane after a dose of 4.5 X 10z1 e.v./l.; --------- , calculated spectrum of cyclohexene due to a dose of 4.5 X loz1e.v./l. in cyclohexane using V.P.C. analysis and previously determined extinction coefficients.

carbons a t each concentration of methyl iodide when normalized to G(H2) in 0.02 M iodine. Values of combined G(CH4 H I ) are all substantially equal to 2.2 a t all concentrations of methyl iodide. The ratio of the yields of cycloolefin to cycloalkyl iodide is appproximately the same for all solutions in cyclopentane (ca. 0.56) and for all solutions in cyclohexane (ca. 0.36). Unsaturated hydrocarbons are often difficult to analyze by V.P.C. Thus, i t was not possible to interpret readily the v.p.c. results for radiolysis of pure cyclopentane using silver nitrate-diethylene glycol and ,!I,@oxydipropionitrile columns, although i t was evident that several products besides cyclopentene and bicyclopentyl were present with combined yields totaling about one. On the other hand, ultraviolet spectra of unsaturates are characterized by very large extinction coefficients at ca. 250 mp for conjugated and 7 210 mp for nonconjugated olefins.13 As nearly as could be determined by v.p.c. the radiolysis of pure cyclohexane (dose = 4.6 X loz2 e.v./l.) produced neither 1,3- nor 1,4-~yclohexadiene. Neither was there any ultraviolet absorption in the 250 mp region although as little as IOp5 M conjugated unsaturation could have been detected. The molar extinction coefficient of 1,4-cyclohexadiene is negligible in this spectral region13 and a different approach was used. Addition of iodine following irradiation produced no benzene, while 1,4-cyclohexadiene was oxidized to benzene with 20% efficiency under similar conditions. The ultraviolet spectrum of irradiated cyclohexane maintained under vacuum appears in Fig. 1 where i t can be seen that there is no conjugated diene absorption between 220-360 mp. Vapor phase chromatographic analysis of this sample for cyclohexene demonstrated that much of the absorption in the 210 mp region must be attributed to another unsaturate. These measure-

+

(13) A. Polgar and J. L Jungnickel, "Organic Analysis," Vol. 111, Interscience Publishers, Inc., S e w York, N. Y . , 1956

1480

SAM2. TOMA AND WILLIAMH . HAMILL

Vol. 86

WAVELENGTH, m p . Fig. 2.--Spectra: , observed spectrum of irradiated 0 . 0 5 ' M cyclohexene in cyclohexane after a dose of 4 . 5 X loz2 e.v./l.; - - -, the observed spectrum on photobleaching the electron band formed in radiolysis of 0.1 M cyclohexene in 3-methylpentane glass a t - 196'; dose 6.0 X loz1e.v./l.

ments were confirmed by v.p.c. and ultraviolet analysis of l o p 3 :VI cyclohexene in n-hexane. I t is plausible to suppose t h a t the extra unsaturation may be responsible for post-irradiation reaction with iodine. When solutions of iodine in cyclohexane were irradiated and then extracted with aqueous thiosulfate solution, the organic layer absorbed strongly a t 266 mp. The anticipated absorption of cyclohexyl iodide in this region is much smaller than the observed value because of a small extinction coefficient (ca. 400 l./mole cm.). Post-irradiative addition of iodine to pure cyclohexane liberates hydrogen iodideg and produces a new product with A,, E 270 mp. This absorption cannot be due to vicinal diiodides since they are easily decomposed and have small extinction coefficients. Conjugated olefins absorb in this region and have very large extinction coefficients (-104) ; l,4- or 1,j-hexadiene were plausible products which could have been responsible for the observed effects. However, radiolysis of cyclohexane yielded a product with G F 0.5 and a retention time (IO-ft. silicone grease column a t 40") between those of authentic 1,5- and 1,4-hexadiene. Bromine removes this product. To determine whether radiolysis of cyclohexene or cyclopentene gives rise to conjugated unsaturation and to allow examination of the mechanism in some detail, alkane-alkene mixtures were irradiated and subsequently examined spectrophotometrically. The result for radiolysis of 0.05 M cyclohexene in cyclohexane a t laboratory temperature after a dose of 4.5 X e.v.rl. appears in Fig. 2. The result for radiolysis of 0.1 M cyclohexene in 3-methylpentane a t - 196" is reported in full elsewhere.I4I5 In the low temperature run electrons were trapped by olefin producing a band with A,, 1800 m p ; positive holes were partly trapped by olefin giving a second band with Amax 725 mh. Optical bleaching of trapped electrons destroyed cations to enhance the yield of species absorbing a t A,, 245 nip. This band resembles that obtained by radiolysis (14) J. P Guarino and

\V H Hamill, J A m . Ciiem. S O L ,86, 777 (1904).

(1.5) We are indebted t o Dr. J . P Guarino for performing the low temperature experiments

24 0

26 0 280 W A V E L E N G T H , mv.

30 0

Fig. 3.-Ultraviolet absorption spectrum of irradiated cyclopentene in n-hexane: - - -, 0.1 M after a dose of 5.6 X loz2 e . v , / l , ; __ , 0.05 M after a dose of 4.2 X loaze.v./l. ; ---------, 0.1 -Vafter a dose of 2.8 X l o z 2e.v./l.; - - --, pure n-hexane after a dose of 5 X loz2e.v./l.

of the cyclohexaneecyclohexene solution a t laboratory temperature and provides fairly direct evidence for the origin of the conjugated olefinic product. Solutions of cyclopentene in n-hexane were irradiated a t laboratory temperature and the ultraviolet absorption compared with irradiated pure n-hexane in Fig. 3. The large band approximates the spectrum of cyclopentadiene. l 3 The spectrum of 0.1 M cyclopentene in 3-methylpentane irradiated a t laboratory temperature and a dose of 4 X 1022e.v./l. appears in Fig. 4. The spectrum is substantially the same at - 196". When a solution of the same composition was irradiated a t - 196" there appeared bands a t A,, 1800 mp due t o solvated electrons and a t A,, 700 m p due to olefin cations as well as a band at 230-250 mp typical of conjugated unsaturation. l 4 8 ' 5 When the electron band was optically bleached, the 700 mp band also disappeared by ion recombination and the 230-250 r n p absorption markedly increased. The increased absorption produced in this manner is represented by the lower curve of Fig. 4. Irradiation of 0.1 Af cyclohexene-dlo in cyclohexane a t G X 102*e.v./l. gave G(H2) = 3.44, G(HD) = 0.29, G(D2) = 0.011. For 0.15 Jf cyclohexene-dlo in cyclopentane, G(H2) = 3.86, G(HD) = 0.23, and G(D2) = 0.00s.

Discussion The proposal that the component of G(H2) not strongly suppressed by iodine in cyclohexane' may hc

HYDROGEN FORMATION IN RADIOLYSIS OF CYCLOHEXANE

April 20, 1964

y-1

1481

\

\

\

\

\

\

\

WAVELENGTH, mp Fig. 4.--UItraviolet spectrum of irradiated 3-methylpentane with 0.1 M cyclopentene: - --, observed spectrum a t room temperature after a dose, a t room temperature, of 3.8 X loz2 e.v./l.; ____ , observed spectrum due to photobleaching of the electron band at liquid nitrogen temperature after a dose, at liquid nitrogen temperature, of 6 X loz1 e.v./I.

attributed to molecular elimination of h y d r ~ g e n , ~ possibly following ion recombination, is clearly inconCsHu'

+e

---f

CeHlo

+ Hz

I

(1)

sistent with the small D2/HD observed by Jenkinson and Dyne from C6Dl2 in light hydrocarbons.6 The quantitative relationship, - 2AG(cycloolefin) = - AG (cycloalkyl iodide), which applies to the results in Tables I1 and 111, in conjunction with the work cited, can be accounted for by a mechanism of the type C6H12+ H(h0t)

+ e CsHlo + ZH(hot) + C6H12-f CBHll + Hz ---f

(2)

(3)

A completely parallel description evidently applies to the results for cyclopentane. When the thermal component of G(H2)in cyclohexane is suppressed by ca. ,I1 iodine, further addition of cyclohexenegcontinues to suppress G(H2)while addition of methyl iodide (Table I11 and ref. 3) continues to depress the somewhat correlated G(H2),G(C6H10),and G(C16H11I) by removing a common precursor of these products.16 We account for the effect of cyclohexene or benzene'l in cyclohexane upon G(H2) by positive charge exchange as well as H-atom scbvenging. In rigid alkane medial4 containing cyclohexene or benzene both C6Hlo+ and C&+ are produced efficiently a t solute concentrations of 0.1 mole yoor more with a concentration dependence resembling t h a t found in the present work. The effect of various alkyl halides to depress G(H2) in excess of that due to H-atom scavenging has already as been attributed to such processes3 RX + e -f R + X (4) and this has now been confirmed in rigid media by observation of I- from CH31,1s of (C6H6)3Cfrom triphenylmethyl chloride, and of C6H6CH2from benzyl halides or acetate.l 9 The dissipation of potential energy (16) A related explanation was offered by D y n e and Jenkinsong t o account M for somewhat comparable effects of 6 mole Yo benzene and of 5 X iodine upon G(Hz), G ( H D ) , and C ( D d in CBDIZ-CBHIZ mixtures. (17) W. Van Dusen and W , H . Hamill, J . A m . Chem. Soc., BS, 1535 (1961). (18) E. P. Rertin and W. H . Hamill, ibid., 86, 1301 (1964).

1

24 0 W A V E L E N G T H , rnH.

220

260

Fig. 5.-Ultraviolet absorption spectrum of irradiated cyclopentane: , observed spectrum ; - - -, calculated spectrum of cyclopentene from v.p.c. analysis and previously determined extinction ccefficients.

following electron attachment due to the electron affinity of X, together with the depression of charge recombination energy arising from polarization of the liquid dielectric, totaling 5-6 e.v.,2n apparently suffice to prevent decomposition by ion recombination,212.e.

+

C ~ H L Z ' I- +C6HlZ

+1

(5)

There is an additional effect to be considered. Positive ions produced by electron impact in vacuo are frequently excited. 2 2 When ion-electron recombination occurs within S ~ C . the , ~ process ~ will then be particularly exothermic. Attachment of the electron would be expected to increase the recombination time to more than 10-lo sec., permitting electronic and vibrational relaxation and providing opportunity for ion-molecule reactions to occur. Another consequence .of formation of positive ions in excited states is to promote positive charge exchange which could not occur for an ion in its ground state. Resonance charge exchange between molecular species M + and M is very improbable because of Franck-Condon restrictions. 24 Between different species, even with a qualitatively favorable but small difference of ionization potentials, charge exchange cannot occur from the ion in its ground state because of these entropy effects. Excitation of the ion can increase its free energy enough to supply this deficit. (19) J . Ward, M . R . Ronayne, J . P. Guarino, and W H . Hamill, Discussions Faraday SOC.,in press. (20) D. R . Kearns and M . J , Calvin, J . Chem. P h y s . , S4, 2026 (1960) (21) P. R . Geissler and J. E . Willard, J . A m Chem. S o d , 8 4 , 4627 (1962) (22) C. E. Melton and W . H Hamill, unpublished results (23) A H. Samuel and J. L. Magee, J Chem. Phys , 2 1 , 1080 (1953). (24) W. F. Libby, J . Phys. Chem., 66, 863 (1952).

SAM2. TOMA AND WILLIAMH. HAMILL

1482

If positive charge exchange occurs in liquid mixtures, whether from an excited or ground state ion, and if reaction 2 describes correctly the fate of C&12+, then in mixtures of cyclopentane ( I = 10.53 e . ~ .and ) ~cyclohexane ~ ( I = 9.88 e.v.) it must be expected that G(H2, hot)/ G(C6Hlo) = 2. The extrapolated yield of H D , taken as a measure of hot hydrogen, for C6D12-C5Hlo mixtures, was 10 molecules/100 e.v." I n the present work a similar extrapolation based upon measurement of G(C6Hlo) from 10.4 electron yo cyclohexane in cyclopentane (Gextrap = GobSd/electron fraction CaH12) gave 4.8 molecules/100 e.v. From 4.9 electron % cyclohexane in cyclopentarte coritaining M iodine G ( ~ ' C 6 H 1 0 ) e x t r a p was 4.2. I t may be expected that positive charge exchange will occur between alkane and alkene. Radiolysis of dilute cyclohexene-dlo in cyclohexane or cyclopentane produced much more H D than Dz. Solutions were too dilute to warrant extrapolation to pure cyclohexenedlo, but values of G(HD) were much larger than corresponds to direct effects. The results in Fig. 2 show that a conjugated unsaturate is produced under the conditions of these experiments, and the run a t -196" (Fig. 2 ) shows that the same, or a very similar, product arises from cyclohexene cation-electron recombination. Combining both sets of experiments indicates t h a t C6HlPf

+ C6DlO'

(6)

+ C8Ds 4-2D(hot)

(7)

+ C6DlO

C6Dlo+f e

C6H12

followed by reaction 3. The radiolysis of dilute solutions of cyclopentene ( I = 9.01 e.v.) in n-hexane ( I = 10.08 e.v.) also shows the formation of a conjugated unsaturate presumed to be cyclopentadiene since the spectra agreez6 (cf. Fig. 3). Based upon the reported extinction coefficient of cyclopentadiene (2500 1./mole cm. a t 244 mp), G(CbH6) = 0.6 in 0.05 M cyclopentene. Again it has been shown t h a t cyclopentene in 3-methyl pentane glass a t - 196" forms both anions and cations and that photodetached electrons react with cations to product a product having an optical absorption similar to t h a t found for runs a t room t e m p e r a t ~ r e . ' ~ . ~ ~ Hardwick2,27has employed alkenes as scavengers (S) for H-atoms in alkanes (RH), assuming that the only significant reactions were H+RH+Hz+R

(8)

H+S+HS

(9)

H

+ S --+

HI

+ R'

(10)

Yields of atomic and molecular hydrogen were then deduced by conventional kinetic analysis. The unimportance of step 10 for olefins as scavengers has been shown by several investigators for ethylene, propylene, butylene, and several other olefin^.^^-^^ It must be concluded that reaction 10 is unimportant. The formation of H D from cyclohexene-dlo as solute in the present work is therefore to be interpreted as due almost entirely to the consequence of charge exchange proc( 2 5 ) K. Watanabe, T. Nakayama, and J. M o t t l , 1.Quanl. Specfry. Radialive T v a n s f e r , 2 , 365 (1562). (26) E. D. Bergmann, "Organic Electronic Spectral Data," Vol. I , Interscience Publishers, Inc., New York, N. Y . , 1960, p. 47. (27) T. J . Hardwick. J . P h y s . C h e m . , 6 6 , 251 (1962). ( 2 8 ) H . Gunning and E. W. R . Steacie, J . C h e m . P h y s . , 14, 57 (1946). (25) K . R. Jennings and R. J. Cvetanovic, ibid., 36, 1233 (1961). (30) H. Okabe and J. McNesby, i b i d . , 36, 601 (1962). (31) K . Yang, J. A m . Chem. Soc., 84, 719 (1562).

Vol. 86

esses which do not lend themselves to stationary-state kinetics. For solutions of iodine in cyclohexane it had appeared from previous work3 that G(Hz) and G(H1) were complementary. The limiting G(H1) served as a measure of the yield of thermal H atoms. Since i t is now clear that a significant part of G(H1) arises from a post-irradiative reaction, the problem requires re-examination. For an analogous system, 0.02 M iodine in cyclopentane was found in this work to depress G(H2) from 5 2 5 to 3.74 while G(H1) was 2.19. From other work4 i t may be estimated that in 0.02 M iodine G(1-) will be about 0.5. According to analogs of reactions 2 and 3 this will prevent the formation of one molecule of hydrogen per 100 e.v. The adjusted G(H2) for thermal hydrogen becomes 1.51-1.0 E 0.5, and any correspondence with G(H1) is entirely lost. In a similar way, 0.02 M iodine produced a decrease of 1.46 in G(H2) and a value of 2.00 for G(H1) in 3-methylpentane. Allowing for the effect of G(1-) 0.5 gives an estimated G(H2, thermal) = 0.46. When increasing amounts of methyl iodide are added to any of these hydrocarbon solutions, G(CH4) increases a t first and then becomes constant while G(H1) decreases and also becomes constant. The sum of the two yields is constant over a range of solute concentration within any one system. If AG(CH4) relative to the solution of iodine alone is combined with G(HI), this sum is ca. 2.2 for all hydrocarbons studied in this work and also for c y ~ l o h e x a n e . ~ The diffusion controlled reaction

=

H

+ CHBI + (CHI + H I ) + CHd + I

(11)

leading to CHI has been described3 and is completely consistent with present results. I t appears that 1 2 and CHJ are approximately equally reactive toward H atom^^,^^ and it follows that in solutions containing 0.02 M iodine and 0.81 ;M methyl iodide, substantially all H atoms react with the latter. We know from photochemical studies of diffusion-controlled reactions between radical pairs that geminate recombination or reencounter is ca. 80% probable (for C2H51)even after an energetic primary dissociative act. 3 3 Using the same efficiency for reaction 11 we obtain a tentative value of G(H, thermal) in cyclopentane 0.59/0.80 = 0.7. Data for other paraffins lead to comparable values. The discrepancy between these low values of thermal Hatom yields and the higher values deduced from G(H1) using iodine may be due in part to post-irradiative reactions and in part to reactions of iodine with reactive intermediates. Thus, reaction of iodine with alkyl radical to give alkene and hydrogen iodide is slightly endothermic and does not occur,33but reaction with an allylic radical to yield conjugated diene may be exothermic and efficient. Reliable measurement of G(H, thermal) is a more difficult task than it first appeared to be. Of the various reagents which have been tested, ethylene seems to be least objectionable'since it neither attaches electrons14 nor is it likely to undergo positive charge exchange. In addition it reacts with H atoms almost exclusively by addition in the gas p h a ~ e . ~ @ H 0, 1~r~o y d ~ ~ (32) H . A. Gillis, R. R. Williams, and W. H. Hamill, i b i d . , 83, 17 (1561). (33) D . L. Bunbury, R. R. Williams, and W. H . Hamill, ibid.. 78, 6228 (1956).

April 20, 1964

RADIOLYSIS OF

SOLUTIONS O F

used ethylene in liquid cyclopentane and G(H2) decreased from 5.2 in pure cyclopentane without reaching a well-defined lower limit. Assuming simple competition between ethylene and cyclopentane to yield ethane (viu C2H5 R H + C2H6 R) or hydrogen we obtain by conventional stationary-state kinetics from Holroyd's results limiting values of G(C2Hs) approximating 1.O, 0.80, and 0.9 a t 28, 15, and O0, respectively. Since G(H2) G(C2He) is constantat each temperature, one may conclude that G(H, thermal) &Z0.9. This supports the low yield of thermal H atoms based upon our own measurements.35 The correlation between the yields 2AG(C5HB) = AG(C6HJ) for cyclopentane suggests interdependent mechanisms for the formation of these products. The substantial constancy of G(H1) G(CH4) indicates t h a t the organic counterparts of these products are not

+

+

+

+

(34) R. A. Holroyd, J . Phys. Chem., 66, 730(1962). (35) Holroyd did not draw the same conclusion. He assumed that his G(Hd = 5.2 for pure cyclopentane was low because of H-atom scavenging by product cyclopentene, for which the final concentration approximated 10-1 M. This same concentration of ethylene, however, produced no detectable effect. The value of G(Hd in Table I1 for pure cyclopentane agrees with Holroyd's value.

[CONTRIBUTION FROM THE

2-PROPANOL

CONTAINING

NaO

1483

included among those reported. In cyclohexane it is also clear that G(H2), G(CaHlo), and G(C&I) behave qualitatively the same with respect t o concentration of methyl iodide while again G(H1) f G(CH4) is constant and requires other conjugate organic products and an independence of the ion recombination process. According to Dyne and Stone? the only organic products from y-radiolysis are cyclohexene and bicyclohexyland cyclohexylhexene-1, and the yields of these hydrogen-deficient products accbunted for 99% of G(H2). These products cannot account for the large absorption in the 200 mp regions observed in the present work in excess of that required for G(CaH1o) determined by V.P.C. analysis in irradiated pure cyclohexane. I t appears to be a nonconjugated olefinic product and our results show that this excess absorption can be accounted for, a t least in part, by an olefin boiling around 65' and resulting from C-C bond rupture since i t is neither 1,3- nor 1,4-~yclohexadiene. Finally, i t would have been very remarkable if no C-C bonds were broken by radiolysis of cycloalkanes since it is a rather efficient process in linear and branched alkanes. 12,21

MELLONINSTITUTE RADIATION RESEARCH LABORATORIES, PITTSBURGH,

PA.]

The Radiolysis of Deaerated Aqueous Solutions of 2-Propanol Containing Nitrous Oxide' BY J. T. ALLANAND C . M. BECK RECEIVEDOCTOBER 23, 1963 Deaerated aqueous solutions of 2-propanol containing nitrous oxide were irradiated with 2.5 MeV. electrons and the yields of nitrogen, hydrogen, acetone, and hydrogen peroxide measured as a function of pH, solute concentration, and radiation dose rate. The effects of additional solutes on the product yields were also investigated. The results have been interpreted on the basis of the primary formation of two reducing species in irradiated water-the hydrated electron and a species which behaves as a hydrogen atom. The yields, reactivity, and possible modes of formation of these species have been discussed.

Introduction I n general the radical species formed in the radiationinduced decomposition of water have been referred to as "H" and "OH." The radicals were assumed to result from reactions between water molecules and the charged intermediates2produced according to H20

-+

H20+

+ e-

(1)

investigations have now established that radiationproduced electrons constitute the major portion of the so-called "H" radicals in aqueous media and that these may give rise to hydrogen atoms by reaction with H 3 0 + . The charged reducing species (hydrated electron or negative polaron15)is referred to here as eaq-. Allan and Scholes7 showed t h a t , in addition to hydrated electrons, another reducing species was produced independently in a yield of G 0.6. This was presumed to be a hydrogen atom and to be formed by the decomposition of an excited water molecule according to

-

or from excited water molecules formed by recombination of the electrons and the positively charged parent ions.3 Later ~ t u d i e s ~indicated -~ the existence of two different forms of reducing species in aqueous systems, which led to a re-evaluation of previous considerations H2O* +H + OH (2) concerning reactions of the charged intermediates with H 2 0 * could presumably result from direct excitation suitable acceptors. lo and p h y ~ i c a l ~ ~ . ' ~ or from ion r e ~ o m b i n a t i o n . ~To distinguish this in(1) This work is supported, in part, by the U. S. Atomic Energy Comdependently formed species from the hydrogen atom mission. produced in the reaction (2) D . E . Lea, "Actions of Radiations on Living Cells," Cambridge University Press, 1946. (3) M. Burton, J. L. Magee, and A. H. Samuel, J . Chem. P h y s . , 10, 760 (1952); H . A. Samuel and J. L. Magee, ibid., 21, 1080 (1953). (4) E . Hayon and J , Weiss, Proc. I n f e r n . Conf. Peaceful Uses A I . Energy,

as, 80 (1958).

(5) J. H . Baxendale and G . Hughes, 2. physik. Chem.. 14, 306 (1958) (6) N.F. Barr and A. 0. Allen, J . Phys. Chem., 68, 928 (1959). (7) J. T.Allan and G . Scholes, N a f u r e , 167, 218 (1960). (8) F. S.Dainton and D . B. Peterson, ibid., 186, 878 (1960). (9) P.Kelly and M . Smith, J . Chem. Sac., 1487 (1961). (10) (a) G.Stein, Discussions Faraday Soc., 11, 227,289 (1952); (b) H. Frohlich and R . L. Platzman, Phys. Rev., 92, 1152 (1953); (c) J. Weiss, N a f u r e , 174, 78 (1954); (d) R . L. Platzman, Radiation R e s . , 9, 1 (1955); (e) J. Weiss, Experienfia, 12, 7, 280 (1956).

eaq-

+ HsO+ + H + HIO

(3)

i t will be referred to as H". The existence of H" has since been confirmed by other workers using different aqueous organic systems.I 1 , l 6 For 6oCo-y and electron (11) E . Hayon and A. 0. Allen, J. Phys. Chem., 66, 2181 (1961). (12) G.Czapski and H . A. Schwarz, ibid., 66, 471 (1962). (13) E.J. Hart and I. W. Boag, J . A m . Chem. Soc., 84, 4090 (1962). (14) J. P . Keene, Nature, 197, 47 (1963). (15) J. Weiss, ibid., 186, 751 (1960). (16) (a) J. Rabani, J . A m . Chem. Sac., 84, 868 (1962); (b) J. Rabani and G. Stein, J . Chem. Phys., 87, 1865 (1962).